There is the myth that being a freelancer is the coolest job that gives you so much freedom. Yes! This may be true, but not so much. Being a successful freelancer requires a lot of discipline and sacrifice and without a proper plan or structure, you may get so engrossed with working that you miss out on life especially when you love what you do.

As a freelancer on Mesh, compared to having a day job where you have just one boss, now you have more than one and sometimes they are located in different parts of the world, with different time zones from the UAE. One of the biggest temptations is to take on more clients than you can handle for more cash. Yes! You will make more money but it will require more time that may be detrimental to your health as a whole. Instead, try to live within your means and budget and scale your services and prices for premium services.

Another practical solution is being present. When with friends, family or loved ones don’t multitask, enjoy the moments with them. Keep away from phone calls and emails that can distract, don’t be tempted to reply to them no matter how urgent it may seem. Create a structure of the hours and days you are available and make sure your clients know about it. 

You can build a successful career as a freelancer if you follow the rules of freelancing. But the real work is achieving an adequate work-life balance so your friends are family don’t miss you and resent you. Also,  research shows that living a balanced life helps you to be more productive.